Hay-press.



A. T. DUDLEY.v

HAY PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED 1m31. 1913.

1,205,980. d PaIenIedNov. 28,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A TTORNEYS A. T. DUDLEY.

HAY PRESS.

APPLICATION HLED 1AN.31. 1913.

PatetedNov. 28,1916.

Z WITNESS S.'

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

ANDREW T. DUDLEY, or` HoUsToN, TExAs, AssIGNoE or ONE-TENTH To'W. L.vMITCHELL, J. H. MITCHELL, AND H. E. WERNER, ALL or HoUsToN, TEXAS.

HAY-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.'

Patented Nov. 2s', 1916.

` Application led January 31, 1913. Serial No.` 745,401.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, ANDREW T. DUDLEY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, thecounty of Harrisand State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHay-Presses, of which the following is a specification. My inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in hay-presses, and has moreparticular relation to a hay-press o-r haybaler, provided with amechanism whereby the baling wire or cord may be automatically passedaround the bale and tied.

The object of the invention yis to provide a device of the characterdescribed, equipped with this automatic tying mechanism referred to. l

Another object of the device resides in the provision of means forautomatically regulating the size of the bale to be formed.

A further feature of the invention consists ofa mechanism which willautomatically determine the time when the tying mechanism is set intooperation, and thus prevent said tying mechanism from being set inmotion at the wrong time.

A further feature of the invention consists of a means for automaticallyand completely separating the bales and preventing the bales from belngtied or bound together by means of the hay which might otherwise beboundpartly in one bale and partly in another.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, opera tion andarrangement of parts, anexample of which is given in this specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a planview of a hay-press shown partially in section and showing myimprovements as a part thereof. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof,shown partially lin Fig. 3 shows a side elevation ofv section. theclutch, showing also its operative connections, and Fig. 4 shows a sideelevation of the knotter mechanism partially in section.

Referring now more particularly tothe drawings, wherein like numerals ofrefer- 'ence designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral1 refers to the baling chamber of the device `in which the bale isformed, and the numeral 2 refers to a supporting frame-work which isconnected to said chamber, and which supports a part of the operativemechanism of the press. A plunger 3 is mounted in the feed end of thebaling chamber, and is arranged to reciprocate back and fo-rth 'andcompress the hay fed into said chamber through the hopper 4, into acompact bale. Rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 5 and 6, carried bythe frame work 2, are the respective shafts?v and, 8, which,respectively, have rigidly mounted spur gear wheels 9 and 10. Alsorotatably mounted in suitable bearings carried by the frame-Work 2 is atransverse drive shaft 11 which carries rigidly mounted spur gear wheels12 and 13 which mesh -withthe respective gear `wheels 9 and 10 androtate the same.Y Rotation is imparted i to the shaft 1l and the gearwheels 12 and provided, which is pivoted at one end to said wrist 16 andat the other to the back side of the plunger 3, andby the rotation ofthe said gear Wheels 9 and 10 a reciprocating motion is imparted to theplunger through the plunger rod` 17, and the' wheels 9 and 10 are of asufficient diameter so that on the back stroke the front end ofthe'pluny ger will be made to kclear the hopper 4, so that the hay to becompressed may be fed through said hopper in front of said plunger,andby the forward stroke said hay, so fed in, will be driven forwardinto the .compress chamber 1.. The plunger 3 has a plurality, preferablytwo, of narrow 4transverse slots 18 and 19, which extend from side to`side thereof, and from about the middle portion entirely to the forwardend of the plunger, for a purpose -to be hereinafter set forth.Rotatably mounted upon one side of Ithe compress chamber is a verticalknotter shaft 20, which carries and loperates the the slots 18 and 19.These knotters are of substantially the character now in use in theordinary binders for grain, and a specific descriptin-thereof is' notdeemed necessary, inasmuch as their construction and operation is wellknown.

Rotatably mounted in suitable bearings upon the opposite side of thecompress chamber from the shaft 20 and about the longitudinal center ofsaid chamber is the vertical needle shaft 23, which carries the needlearms 24 and 25. The free ends of these arms carry the tying needlesnumbered, respectively, 26 and 27, which are in aline- -ment with therespective slots 18- and 19,

and which are arranged to oscillate back and forth through said slots,in the manner and for the purpose to be hereinafter set forth. The shaft8 carries on its outer end a rigidly mounted, bevel gear wheel 28, whichmeshes with a similar gear wheel 29, rigidly mounted upon the verticalshaft 30, rotatable vin the bearing 31, carried by the frame'2.

Also mounted upon the shaft 30 isa bevel gear wheel 32, which mesheswith a similar, wheel 33, carried by one end of the shaft 34,v

supported in any suitable manner and extending `lengthwise along theside of the press.` The forward end of the shaft 34 has a rigidlymounted clutch member 35, the purposeof which will presently be setforth. The lower end of the vertical shaft 20 carries a rigidly mountedbevel gear wheel 36,

which meshes with a similar bevel geary wheel 37, rigidly mounted on theshaft 38,

which is rotatable in the bearings 39, 39. The rear end of the shaft 38carries'a slid-l ably' mounted .clutch member 40, keyed thereon, for apurpose to be hereinafter stated.

Rotatably mounted in the bearing 41, car" ried by the free end of aswinging arm 45 is a vertical shaft 42, rigidly mounted upon which is anidler wheel 43, whose periphery carries outwardly 4projecting spikes 44,and these spikes normally engage 1n the hay of the forming bale, and asthe bale, in theA process of formation, graduallymoves along toward thedischarge end of lthe compress chamber, the wheel 43 is turned thereby.The other end of the arm 45 is pivoted to said chamber so that the wheel43 may be swung around and its spikes 44 be disengaged from the bale.Pivoted near its cen tral portion to the side of the compress chamber isa lever 46,and one end of lthis lever extends underneath the wheel 43,and

has a laterally projecting roller 47. The,

under side of the wheel 43 has an elongated arcuate camy 48, in the pathof which the roller 47 projects, and when said cam comes in contact-withsaid roller it depresses the corresponding end of the lever 46. and.ele-

35 vates the opposite end thereof. The last .tensionof the spring 51,

mentioned end of the lever 46 has a hook or shoulder 49, which normallyengages over the arm 50, and holdsthe same agalnst the one end of whichis attached to the frame 1 and the other end to the arm 50. lVhen theroller 47 is in contact with the cam 48,\the opposing end of arm 46 iselevated, and the hook 49 is released from the arm 50, which is therebyreleased to-the pull of spring 51. The outer end of arm 50 isbifurcated, and its lingers are pivoted to the clutch member 40, and asthe free end ofthe arm 50 is pulledy back, it

carries clutch member 40 into engagement with clutch member 35, and theshafts 34 and 38 are forced to rotate together. The arm 50 is pivoted tothe side of the compress chamber 1. The contacting faces of clutchmembers 35 and 40 have oppositely inclined rack teeth, the members areclutched, and cause simultaneous rotation thereof.

As before stated, the forming bale passing along'toward thedischarge endof the press causes the rotatin of the wheel 43, by reason of theengagement of the spikes 44 with said bale, and the forward end of thecam 48 1s so positioned as to Acontact with the roller 47 and depressthe corresponding end of the lever 46, when a sufficient quantity of hayhasbeen forced into the compress chamber by the plunger 3, to form abale, and as said end of said lever is depressed the opposite end iselevated, which releases the shoulder 49 from the arm 50, and disengagesit therefrom,'whereupon the pull exerted by the spring 51 operates tocarry the clutch member 40 into engagement with the clutch member 35,and the shafts 34 and 38 are thus forced to rotate in unison, and theknotter shaft. 20l set in motion through the mechaknism operativelyconnecting said clutch end of the shaft 20 carries a rigidly mountedarmA 52, and the needle shaft 23 has a rigidly mounted armV 53, and thefree ends of these arms are connected by a cross link 54, and when theshaft 20 begins to rotate, the arm 52 exerts a pulll upon the link 54,which is transmitted through said link to the free end of the arm 53,and the needle shaft 23 is forced to perform a partial rotation andvswing the free ends of the arms 24 and 25 around toward the compresschamber, and' drive the needles 26 and 27 through the respective' slots18 and 19, in the plunger 3, and into operative connection with thecorresponding knotters 21 yand 22. The sides of the compress chamberalso have slots alined with the slots 18 and 19 to ermit the passage'ofthe needle therethroug The wire'used for baling is wound on spools 55and 56 which are mounted on the opposite side of the frame-work 1 fromthe knotters, and the free ends of the wire wound on these spools passthrough eyes in the respective-needle ends, and then across the compresschamber in front of the pluner 3, and are secured to the respectiveotters 21 and 22., As the bale is formed, the hay is' compressed againstthe wires which gradually unwind from the spools and em race the outerend and sides of the bale, and the wire is then carried around the innerend of the bale by the needles as they pass through the slots 18 and 19,and is tied therearound by the knotters 21 and 22, and the bale is thencomplete and ready to be discharged-from the press. When the bale iscompleted, however, a certain amount of loose hay which has just beenfed in through the hopper and whose .free ends project back above theplunger may be tied in with the bale at one end, and the other endsthereof ma become engaged in and form a part o the next succeeding bale.It is therefore necessary to provide a means for cutting said loose hayand entirely separating the bales. For this purposeV I have provided acutter, the description and operation of which will now be described.

A transverse shaft 57 is rotatably mounted above the frame 1 in bearingscarried thereby, and this shaft has two forwardly extending arms 58,58,whose free ends carry the transverse blade 59, the edge of whichprojects downwardly, and arranged across the top. of the plunger 3 is awooden cutter block 60, upon which any loose hay which may not becompletely compressed into the nished bale will lie. Projecting upwardlyfrom the shaft57 is an arm 61, and depending downwardly from the frame 1is a swinging arm 62 whose upper end is pivoted to said frame, andattached to the free end of the arm 61 at one end, and pivoted to theswinging arm 62 at its other end is a link 63. The outer side of thegear wheel 9 carries an outwardly extending rim 64, which is circular inshape and concentric with said gear wheel, and the lower end of theswinging arm 62 has a laterally extending roller 65 which normally restsagainst the periphery of this rim G4. This rim, at one point in itsperiphery, has a cam section 66, so arranged'as to contact with'theroller 65 while the plunger is in its forward position. This cam 66imparts a forward thrust to the arm 62, which is transmitted to the arm61 through the link 63, and which causes a sudden partial rotation ofthe shaft 57, and a sudden downward stroke of the blade 59 onto theblock 60, causing said blade to cut each feed of hay forming the baleapart thus permitting the bale to be more easily taken apart, and alsoentirely separating the bales. After the cam 66 has passedthe roller 65the arm 61 is pulled back intoits original position, and the blade 59elevated by means of a ull spring 66', one end of which is attac ed tothe arm 61 andthe other end' of which is attached to the frame 1.

Rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing. inthe side of the frame-work 1is a short transverseshaft 67, the inner end of whichl has an upwardlyextending arm 68 rigidy Y end of this arm 73 is pivoted to ,the side 'fthe frame 1, and rigid with said lower end and extending'A forwardly, isan arm 74,

whose forwardf`gend'is free. A pull spring` 75, attached at one end tothe arm 73 and at its other end to the' frame-work nor mally holds thisarm in its rearward position, and the free end of the arm 74 el'evated,when not under the influence of the cam-shaped ring 71.

It is obvious that the plunger 3 will not at all times be in its forwardposition when the cam 48 releases the shoulder 49 from the arm 50, andwhen in said position it is necessaryto suspend the movement of theneedle operative mechanism while theplunger is completing its forwardstroke, other- Wise the needles would force the baling wire through thehay of the incomplete bale. The cam-shaped ring 71 is so positioned asto restagainst the roller 70 and hold the arms 68 and,69 in theirforward position, which will operate, through links 72 and arm 73 tolower the free end of the arm 74 into the path of the arm 5() while theplunger 3 is performing its forward stroke, but just before the plungercompletes its forward stroke the cam 71 releases the roller 70, and therearward pull ofthe spring` 75 elevates the free end of the arm 74 andcarries it out of alinement with the varm 50. The arm 50 will thus bereleased to the pull of spring 51, in case the bale has been completed,and the shoulder 49 ypreviously released from the arm 50. vI f theshoulder 49 should be released 4from the arm 50 too soon, or before theplunger is readyY to com- `plete its forward stroke, said arm50 willengage'again'st the free end of arm 74 and the clutch members 40 and `35will beheld vapart until the bale is ready to tie. The cam 71 is sopositioned as to release the roller 70 and allow the free end of arm 74to be elevated out of the path of the arm 50 just before the plungercompletes yits forward stroke.

A link 76 is pivoted at its respective ends to the arms 45 and 53,.andas the arms '24 and 25 swing around to carry the needles into coperationwith the knotters, the arm 53 imparts a thrust to the arm the link 76and vsaid arm 45 is forced to swingl around and carries the spikes 44out of engagement with the hay. A pull spring 77 is attached at one endto arm 45 and at the other to the Wheel 43, which then restores saidwheel to its original position preparatory to the beginning of a newbale. This backward turn of wheel 43 isflimited by a movable pin 78,which engages against the shoulder 79, carried by the arm 45, and stopsthe backward turn of the wheel. This pin may be secured .at any desiredpoint on said wheel 43, and the amount of backward turn predetermined,and the size of the bale thus determined. It is obvious that the lessbackward turn the wheel is permitted to have the sooner the cam 48 willtrip the lever 46, and the shorter will be the bale,'and vice versa.

In order to detach the shaft 38 from its driving shaft I have provided alever 80 which is rigid with arm 50, and whose free end projects outover the upper face of gear wheel 36 and whose free end carries a roller82. The upper face of said gear wheel carries a cam 83 so positioned asto contact with said roller just after the bale has been tied and theneedles withdrawn from across the compress chamber. This cam forces thefree end of lever 80 inwardly, which imparts a corresponding motion tothe outer end of arm and carries the clutch member 40 out of engagementwith the clutch member 35, and the needle and knotter mechanisms aredeclutched from their driving means. In order to stop these mechanismspositively, a bumper 84 is projected from the upper face of the gearwheel, and so positioned as to engage against the roller 82, as theclutch is disengaged, and positively stop the needle and knottermechanism from continuing to operate from momentum. When the arm 50 isforced back to its original position, the

shoulder 49 is pulled down by the pull of spring 85', attached thereto,and also to the compress wall, and again engages over the arm 50 andholds the same until another bale has been completed. When the shoulder49 isagain disengaged from the arm 50 the roller 82 drops between thejoint of cam 83 andthe bumper 84 and the gear wheel 36 is again free toperform another revolution in tying the next succeeding bale.

On each side of the compression chamber 1, I have mounted in suitablebearings short, vertical shafts 85, 85, slightly in front of the plunger3 when in its forward position. Each of the shafts 85, 85 carries at itsupper and lower extremities, respectively, dogs 86, 86, which arerigidly mounted thereon. The sides of the dogs facing the 45 through andrigid therewith, and to the free end of each arm 88, is attached a pullspring 89, said springs also being attached to projections 90 90,extending outwardly from the compress chamber. When the plunger hasreached the limit of its forward stroke the pull of the springs 89, 89causes a rotation of the shafts 85, 85, which forces the dogs 86, 86inwardly through the slots on eachside of the plunger 3, and as theplunger moves back the abrupt shoulders on thesides of the dogs next tothe forming bale engage the hay compressed and retain the compressionthereof.

What I claim is 1. A device of the character described, including acompress chamber, a plunger arranged to reciprocate therein, a plungeroperative mechanism, a needle' operative mechanism and a needle carriedthereby and arranged to swing laterally back and forth across thecompress chamber and carrying a tying cord around the bale therein, aknotter alined with said needle and arranged to coact therewith and knotthe tying cord around the bale, a knotter operative mechanism, meansoperatively connected with the knotter operative mechanism and also withthe needle operative mechanism, and causing the former to operate thelatter, a means at predetermined intervals connecting the plungeroperating mechanism with the knotter operative mechanism, a mechanismlixing the time of said connection, and being in turn controlled by theplunger operative mechanism. 2. A device of the character described,including a compress chamber, a plunger arranged to reciprocate therein,a mechanism, operatively connected with the plungenand imparting areciprocating movement thereto, a needle operative mechanism and a withthe needle andlmot said tying cord around said bale, a mechanism foroperating the knotter, means operatively connected with the knottermechanism, and also with the needle operative mechanism, andtransmitting movement from the former to the latter, a means foroperatively connecting the plunger operative mechanism and knotteroperative mechanism, a mechanism moving in unison with the bale formingin the compress chamber, and automatically releasingsaid connectingmeans and thereby connecting the plunger operating mechanism with theknotter operative mechanlsm, and means controlled by the knotteroperative .mechanism for disconnectingthe same.

3. A device of the character described, including a compress chamber, aplunger arranged to reciprocate therein., whose forward end is providedwith a plurality of transverse slots, a mechanism operatively connectedwith the plunger and imparting a reciprocating movement thereto, aneedle operative mechanisn'a plurality of laterally swinging needles"operated thereby and arranged to move back and forth across the compresschamber and pass through the corresponding slots of the plunger andcarry tying cords around the bale forming in said chamber, a pluralityof knotters, one for each needle each knotter being arranged to co-actwith its corresponding needle and.

knot the tying cord carried by said needle around said bale, a mechanismfor operating the knotters, means operatively connected with the knotteroperative mechanism,

and also with the needle operative mecha- Y nism and operating thelatter from the former, a clutch whereby the plunger operative mechanismmay be connected with and disconnected from'the knotter operativemechanism, a means for operatively engaging the clutch, a means operatedby the bale as it moves along in the compress chamber and normallyholding said clutch engaging ,means in locked position but which atpredetermined intervals releases said engaging means, therebycontrolling said clutch, and

"" causes the connection of the plunger operative mechanism with theknotter operative ,mechanism, and means for predetermining the time ofsaid connection.

4. A device of the character described including a compress chamber,having a feed inlet leading thereto, a plunger arranged to reciprocatein the chamber and compress the material fed through said inlet intosaid chamber into a bale, the forward end of said plunger being providedwith a plu- .rality of transverse slots, a mechanism opfzerativelyconnected with the plunger and imparting a reciprocating movement there-`to, a, A needle operative mechanism, a plul,raliiyff laterally swingingneedles operated thereby and arranged to move back and forth through thecompress chamber and pass through the corresponding slots of the lungerand carry tying cords around the balies formed in said chamber, asecuring mechanism for each needle being arranged to co-act therewithand secure the tying cord carried by said needle around said bale, ameans for operating said securing mechanism, means operatively connectedwith said last mentioned means, and also with the needle operativemechanism, and

operating the latter from the former, a

clutch whereby the plunger operative mechanism may be connected with anddisconnected from the mechanism 'which operates said securing means, andmeans operated by the bale as it moves along 1n the compress chamber forcontrolling said clutch, and

connecting the plunger operating mechanlsm with the mechanism whichoperates said securing means, and a means controlled by the plungeroperating mechanism by^- ing said drive shaft and binding mecha-` nism,a means for locking said connecting mechanism against movement, a meansfor releasing said locking means and permitting said connectingmechanism to operatively connect the drive shaft and binding mechanism,a means controlled by the compressing mechanism, and at predeterminedtimes engaging with the connecting mechanism after the lockingmeans'have been released and fixing the time of the connection of n saidbinding mechanism with said drive shaft.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with acompressing chamber, and a plunger which reciprocates back and forththerein, of a binding`mechanism, a drive shaft, a mechanism foroperatively connecting said shaft and binding mechanism, a means forlocking said connecting mechanism against movement, a means controlledby the bale moving in said chamber, for releasing said locking means,means controlled by the plunger operative mechanism, and atpredetermined intervals permitting said connecting mechanism tooperatively connect the drive shaft and binding mechanism when theplunger is in its forward .position, and means'automaticallydisconnecting said binding mechanism from said drive shaft. V,

7. A device of the character described including a compressing chamberin which material is compressed into'a bale, a mechanism embodying aplunger for compressing said material in said chamber, a bindingmechanism, a drive shaft, a mechanism for operatively connecting saidshaft and binding mechanism, a means for locking said connectingmechanism against movement, a

means controlled by the compressed material for releasing said lockingmeans at predetermined intervals and permitting said connectingmechanism to operatively connect the drive shaft and binding mechanism,

with the connectin locking means have een released and fixing theconnection of said binding mechanism with said drive shaft at a timewhen the plonger is in its forward position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my K and means engaging atpredetermined times name to this specification in the presence ofmechanism, after the two subscribing witnesses.

ANDREW T. DUDLEY.

Witnesses:

J. W. YEAGLEY, B. L. TAYLOR.

